Fashion. Show.

This was a few weeks ago. When we discovered we could cut insulation foam with a jigsaw, a JIGSAW, people. We have usually used various knives and of course the foam-cutting melting things (the pointy craft-store type, and the men’s tool-shop-knife type).

But, yes – an electric jigsaw has now been added to the repertoire. It totally cuts nice, crisp edges – if the jig-saw person pays attention. Mine did pretty darn well!

I was having fun with the negative space. It’s the little things.

Now-my friend, Pearl is the QUEEN of turning insulation foam into works of art. I keep telling her she should write a book. Pearl can make anything out of foam. I hounded her plenty in the making of this display! I only wish now I had made it bigger, but it is 8-foot wide, total, and about 30-32″ tall…something like this from a certain poster, which may or may not have an informative website www.EldeenAnnette.com…as the inspiration:

The Deets, or How to cut a negative-space sign from insulation foam:

I used this image above and enlarged it on Publisher to my desired size, printing a pale “draft” copy. I Scotch-taped the letters together and used carbon paper to draw the outlines onto the 2″ insulation foam.

Leave the plastic coating on while you cut to protect the foam a little. You can peel it off when you’re done cutting.

I acquired a man with a jigsaw (my husband), who was highly suspicious of the whole project and wasn’t sure it would work. (It did).

After cutting, peel off the plastic coating to paint, latex only (not spray paint, it will melt the foam) or not if you’re covering it, anyway. Use very fine sandpaper or a nail file to smooth edges and then finish as desired – a very lightweight, but massive-looking display!

Since then it may or may not have gotten a very thick covering of gold glitter and may find itself suspended above a display table in the lobby at The Armory Performing Arts Center on May 1st. (It did. And it will).

And – I only had time for these two words today!  :)